Ruhullah Mehdi Alleges Electoral Manipulation, Targets BJP Over Delimitation, Article 370 Move
New Delhi, April 16, KNT: Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday criticized the delimitation process in Parliament, describing it as “vote chori” and alleging that it amounts to political manipulation of electoral boundaries.
Addressing the House, Mehdi said delimitation in its current form reflects “gerrymandering,” which he described as the practice of altering electoral boundaries to favor a particular party or group.
He said such practices involve concentrating opposition voters into limited constituencies or dispersing them across multiple seats to weaken their electoral influence.
WHAT IS GERRYMANDERING?
Gerrymandering is the practice of redrawing electoral boundaries to give an unfair political advantage to a particular party or group. It typically involves:
- Packing: Concentrating opposition voters into a few constituencies to limit their overall influence
- Cracking: Spreading opposition voters across many constituencies to dilute their voting strength
ORIGIN OF THE TERM
The term “gerrymandering” originated in the United States in 1812, when Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry approved a redistricting plan that created a district resembling a salamander. The term combines his surname “Gerry” with “mander” (from salamander).
Mehdi said an impression had been created that opposition parties were against the Women’s Reservation Bill, which he termed incorrect.
“No one is opposing the Women’s Reservation Bill, but we are against unfair delimitation,” he said.
The MP said Jammu and Kashmir has already experienced the impact of delimitation, alleging that the exercise was undertaken in a manner that benefits the Bharatiya Janata Party.
He also criticized the abrogation of Article 370, describing it as undemocratic. [KNT]
Delimitation is nothing but ‘vote chori’……………………..Gerrymandering is the political manipulation of electoral district boundaries to give one party, group, or socioeconomic class an unfair advantage. It involves drawing map lines in intentionally bizarre shapes to… pic.twitter.com/p02eWo3woD
— Kashmir News Trust༝ (@kntnewsagency) April 16, 2026
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